I myself commute about 45 minutes each way. The time is not too bad since there isn't much traffic the direction I go, but it is a fair distance (35 miles each way) so the gas adds up, and I always feel guilty about putting all those miles on the car. I was able to commute with a classmate for most of the year, but I found that I was exchanging my sanity for the savings in gas, and so I opted to finish out the year driving by myself. So, if you can find someone to commute with who isn't super annoying, then that's good for you. My advice would be to be wary and get an idea of their personality first, because if they get on your nerves it will certainly add to your stress level. Overall, though, I definitely do not have any regrets about choosing to commute; even if it does cost money in gas and wear and tear I'm still saving quite a bit from not having to pay rent. To be honest, it's nice to have a change of scenery when I go home after being at school all day. If I need to practice in the labs for anything, there's usually someone willing to stick around after class, so I've only had to make an extra trip in to school a couple times over the course of a year. Next year my living situation will be different but I will still have to commute, and I'm not worried about it. It is certainly manageable, and I currently have a 3.9 to prove it